Last Updated on February 17, 2022
A Chicago Black Lives Matter “activist” addressed the media, blasting Mayor Lori Lightfoot and threatening city officials to “listen to us or you can get ran over.”
Claiming that those rioting in the streets are merely exercising their First Amendment rights and that legal repercussions are a form of oppression targeting black women, the activist, who Twitter users have identified as Taylore Norwood, laid into Lightfoot, before accusing her of ensuring rioters are charged with felonies in an effort to disenfranchise them.
“Our black, gay mayor is not protecting the black women in this city, I have a personal problem with that!” Norwood told reporters, as fellow Black Lives Matter members furiously snapped their fingers behind her.
“The only thing that the Mayor can do is sic her dogs on us, is beat us, is arrest us, is steal our lives from us,” she said. “…You are creating problems in black and brown communities to protect white people and it shows…The answer to people fighting against the policies that you are putting in place is not to rob them of their right to vote, Lori! You can’t just throw felonies on everybody for speaking their minds!”
Norwood and those standing behind her appeared to grow increasingly agitated as the remarks went on, eventually issuing a threat to city officials and residents alike.
“This is unacceptable! This is our city! Our city! And we’re taking this sh*t back, point blank, period, end of discussion,” she said. “We have demands and they need to be met and I feel like I’ve been saying this too much: We’re not asking you anything! We’re telling you what’s about to happen with your permission or not…You can listen to us or you can get ran over! And that’s all I have to say.”
.#BlackLivesMatter activist in Chicago: “We have demands and they need to be met … we’re not asking you anything. We’re telling you what’s about to happen with your permission or not. … You can listen to us or you can get ran over.” pic.twitter.com/yEXFT4LOv9
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) August 22, 2020